Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: paulsemp on March 09, 2012, 04:45:43 pm
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Does any one have a link on this site on how to make pine pitch? Never have made it and would like to learn.
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There was just a thread on "arrows", "around the campfire" and here in the past couple of weeks. This is how I do it.
5 parts hard but not brittle pine pitch (sap). Make sure it's not soft or brittle, either way
that is how your glue will turn out.
1 part binder, I use ground charcoal from around the fire, not brickett, some use saw dust, dry manure from ruman live stock or deer, ash, anything finely ground.
1 part bees wax, that's what I use, some use parafin, tallow, any thing similar. It gives the glue body and keeps it from drying out and getting brittle.
put all this in a soup or tuna can and slowly heat, outdoors is safest, but I've been doing it on the wood stove, it is very volitile...very volital. heat and mix until it's all combined. I use half chopsticks for the next part. Take off the heat, Take your stick and start roll it in the mix. It will start to adhere like candle wax. Make em as big as you like.
You should be able to push your thumb nail into the cooled glue with some pressure. There are some remedies for problems you may encounter, but I can't totally remember them right now. :-[
The more you cook it, the more brittle it will be. If you have really brittle pitch, you can smash it up and put it in a glass jar w/ lid and pour, isopropal or denatured alcohol or turpintine just to cover it and in a few hours you will have a sweet sinew sealer for your hafting and fletching. I really like this stuff.
Good luck, dpgratz
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Thank you I will try!
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http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,30924.0.html
here's one for gathering
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,31311.0.html
Here's another one too.
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Here's a video I made concerning pine pitch glue. Also called "Cutler's Resin".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l51Raicc5I
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I was wondering; does it matter what species of pine you use? Are there some you would not want to use?
The only reason I ask is that I pass by Pinyon Pines that are loaded, from where CalTrans trims the limbs that are at the easments....
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Pinion pine sap works great.
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Bowartitst,
I have pine pitch from 3Rivers Archery supply, can I use what I have and apply it to your recipe?
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Unlike Derik I do use hard, brittle pitch for both pitch glue and pitch varnish. If it is not hard and brittle I cook it until it is. Once I get the pitch to the consistancy I want I change it's properties by adding bees wax(or animal fat) to make it less brittle and charcoal(or sawdust, dried plant fibers, etc) to add body to the pitch glue.
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Bowartitst,
I have pine pitch from 3Rivers Archery supply, can I use what I have and apply it to your recipe?
I think that has already been processed.
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I understand there are substitutes for the bees wax / animal fat part. And the plant componut seems variable. What about the pitch. I am in a pitchless dessert. Any ideas?
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the "Trading Post" ;)
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the "Trading Post" ;)
I had thought of that. Maybe when I have something good to trade I will try it. ::) ::)
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Im sending you some melted and some raw, make sure when you mix a batch you dont use all your pitch at once, i did that before and had to gather more so I could add more pitch.
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Bowartitst,
I have pine pitch from 3Rivers Archery supply, can I use what I have and apply it to your recipe?
I'd just make my own and keep the two separate if I was you. IMO. I've never mixed two batches together. 3Rs is probably a decent glue, when you make your own, you can compare it to the 3R stuff to see if it's similar. Again, IMO, dpgratz
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I would like to make my own, but I do not have access to pine trees or pine pitch.
I wonder if there is a way to harvest salt cedar sap, I have plenty of cedar available.
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I always use the wax from a toilet seal for the bees wax (it may not be real bees wax anymore but it's close enough to work ). You may not have bees around but almost everyone lives near a hardware store or a Home Depot, Lowes, etc...